His lawyer, Juniver Girsang, says the events and relating laws are from before the corruption court was established.

Prosecutors have collected thousands of pages of evidence against Susilo and it took them four hours to read out the 135-page indictment at the start of the trial at a special anti-corruption court in Jakarta.

Anti-graft agency the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which conducted the probe, has confiscated houses, land, cars and even petrol kiosks from Susilo, some of which were listed under the names of his wives and relatives.

"His assets are suspected of being the proceeds of corruption... as the defendant did not own legal businesses which could generate relatively large profits," chief prosecutor Kemas Abdul Roni said.

A major part of the case against the former head of the national traffic division is a tender for driving simulators in 2011, from which he allegedly made personal gains of $3.3 million.

Danang Widoyoko from Indonesian Corruption Watch says the police force effectively works as a pyramid scheme.

"From the low-ranked police officer to the high-ranks, the generals of the police, corruption is practiced in the whole structure of the police," he said.

Indonesian media are reporting that Djoko Susilo's believed to have bought places in Australia and Singapore as well, but prosecutors have focused on the nearly 40 properties he allegedly bought in Indonesia.

He faces up to 20 years in jail if convicted, although many found guilty of graft get much lower sentences.

The KPK has been given extraordinary powers to wiretap suspects, probe bank accounts and investigate the all-powerful police, infuriating some politicians and police.